www.readmetro.com August 2016
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality will change the way we game
AR games other than Pokémon Go
FATHER.IO
Video games. The Pokémon Go phenomenon and the launch of Oculus Rift give us a peek into the future of gaming. Two of the greatest revolutions that the gaming industry has ever seen took place this year. First came the arrival of the virtual reality product Oculus Rift, followed by the widespread use of augmented reality, thanks, in large, to Pokémon Go. Prior to these developments, the market had remained unchanged for decades. These two technological advances have significantly brightened the future of the global video game industry, which already ranks as one of the largest in the entertainment sector, with current profits of US$99 billion and an estimated US$118 billion profits by the end of 2019. It also boasts more than two million customers (gamers) around the world, who spend an average of US$100 on video games a year. But just how do we define virtual reality and augmented reality? “The term virtual reality refers to immersive, interactive electronic environments designed to connote a sense of presence,” says Judd Ruggill, co-director of the Learning Games Initiative at the University of Arizona. “The term augmented reality refers to the enhancing of real-world environments with electronically-generated images, sounds, and other sensory and informational data.” Pokemón Go’s debut in early July showed the immense global popularity of augmented reality video games. The game, developed by Nintendo, has been installed more than 75 million times
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Laser technology is turning the world into a virtual battlefield, where smartphones double up as laser tag guns. The first-player shooter called Father.IO uses augmented reality, a small infrared peripheral and your smartphone’s web capabilities, to put you at war with people in your area and around the world.
REAL STRIKE If you feel more comfortable soldiering than mastering Pokémon, youshould give this a go. Real Strike turns reality into a military base and brings first person shooting into the real world. This iOS game combines the real-life surroundings with 3D gun animation. Combat items include night vision, thermal vision, and much more.
Augmented reality games like Pokemon Go have proved hugely popular / GETTY
across Apple and Google’s platforms globally, putting it in a class of its own for first-month mobile game downloads, according to Sensor Tower, a
group that analyzes mobile apps. They also estimated that Pokémon Go is the fastest ever to reach 50 million global
downloads across iOS and Android devices. Likewise, virtual reality dominated at the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) 2016, the world’s largest gaming expo, where it was announced that Sony, the makers of the Playstation, the world’s best selling console, is preparing to launch a virtual reality set in October, while some reports indicate that Microsoft’s Xbox is readying itself for a foray into virtual reality next year. A survey from Newzoo in April found that 11 per cent of the global online population plans to buy a VR device in the next six months and according to findings from SuperData Research, consumers will spend US$5.1 billion on virtual reality gaming hardware, accessories and software in 2016
Virtual reality is a simulated reality where a user engages in a virtual space and feels presence within that space. Think the holodeck in Star Trek. New reality envelopes the user and they have real presence within that virtual world. Augmented reality is a direct or indirect view of the real world around us that is augmented in manner. For example, in Pokémon Go, the world is augmented with Pokémon, allowing you to see them using your phone’s camera during the experience of the game. The phone in this case is being used as a window into an augmented version of our reality.
facing virtual reality and augmented reality? I think the primary challenge with any new way to engage with digital experiences is getting consumers behind the technology. Niantic, the Pokémon Company, and Nintendo have done an incredible job at bringing the idea of augmented reality to a massive audience with Pokémon Go. We haven’t had this moment with virtual reality yet, and with the more insular nature of the technology, I think this is going to be the steepest challenge to overcome. Additionally, understanding how best to utilize such technologies, in a variety of ways, is going to be a challenge for developers.
In addition to Pokémon Go, what other examples of augmented reality exist? Augmented reality has actually been around in the video game industry for quite a while, and the exploration of the technology has been around for even longer. It’s been used for military, industrial and medical purposes, as well as entertainment. With the rise of smart phone technology, it’s being adopted in every sector imaginable. In addition to video games, what are the other applications of virtual reality? I think education application is a big one here. VR allows students of all ages to engage in virtual spaces that can be
VR looks to the future
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“They look to be an area of continued interest for game developers and players alike,” says Ruggill. However, Benjamin Hill, game writer an founder of Lost Transmission, an independent game development studio, believes that these two new technologies will not completely replace standard screen-based video games. “I don’t necessarily think that VR and AR are the allencompassing future of video games that some think they will be. But what I do think is that VR and AR technology is going to become additional to the more traditional screenbased media that we have on offer,” explains Hill.
CLANDESTINE: ANOMALY If you prefer to hunt aliens and defend the world against a possible invasion rather than catch Pokémon, this game is for you. Clandestine Anomaly lets you watch the aliens invade the area around you. You can defend and attack and build structures in your surroundings to battle against the aliens.
ZOMBIES EVERYWHERE Fans of zombies also have the chance to enjoy augmented reality with a game called Zombies Everywhere. This app for iOS and Android lets you experience a zombie apocalypse in which you have the mission to shoot the undead in the streets around you.
Although there’s no doubt that both virtual reality and augmented reality will help to drive the billion dollar video game industry, they’re not about to dominate the market anytime soon. “At this point, the challenges are principally technical and economic,” said Ruggill, before adding: “That is, commercial interests are keen to figure out ways to bring affordable and compelling VR and AR technologies to market, and, of course, to stimulate consumer appetite for such technologies.”
DANIEL CASILLAS MWN
Q&A
“Pokémon Go brought augmented reality to a massive audience” BUT BENJAMIN HILL Game writer an founder of Lost Transmission
Could you explain the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality?
What are the challenges
designed to engage in subject matter in a manner never seen before. I saw something in England, where a design studio (Marshmallow Laser Feast) had used VR technology in a project called “Through The Eyes of the Animal” that allowed users of all ages to see the forest around them through the eyes of animals. This really is a mix of VR and AR but for me, this is where VR is going to really shine going forward. Are there any dangers associated with these two technologies? I think there are dangers with anything in this world, and in all honesty, of course there are considerations to be
made with virtual and augmented reality technologies. Isolation within some surroundings is an immediate concern within VR and there are spatial concerns with AR applications like Pokémon Go, which have already been voiced. However, all dangers can be mitigated by proper education on how to use applications and considerate development when building applications. Breaking immersion is an important factor to consider for VR applications and constant awareness of the environmental dangers of engaging with AR in the world around us needs to be communicated effectively.